Fire crews being equipped with winter tyres, snow shovels and crampons to help clear snow from roads and pavements - but some staff question the move

Fire chiefs are splashing out £144,000 to equip staff in Greater Manchester with winter tyres, snow shovels and crampons – to help clear snow from roads and pavements.

Cold weather tyres were fitted to 80 engines in the region at the end of last year – at a total cost of £117,000.

The brigade is also spending:

£11,000 on giving each firefighter two pairs of thermal socks each

£15,500 on ‘ice grippers’ for firefighters’ boots

£428 on buying a second snow shovel for each of its 130 fire engines

Bosses have also told firefighters they will need the gear to help local authorities clear paths and roads to help the most vulnerable at times of heavy snow, on top of regular duties fighting fires and attending car crashes.

But some staff have questioned the need for the specialist equipment, pointing out that the region is ‘not Scandinavia’.

Greater Manchester has largely escaped the worst of the recent spell of wintry weather which has brought heavy snow to some parts of the country.

One firefighter, who declined to be named, said: “In 28 years in the job I can only remember one occasion when the engine got stuck. The weather here is just not bad enough to merit spending all this money on winter tyres. I could understand it if we were in Scandinavia but we are in Greater Manchester.

“These winter tyres just aren’t designed for using on tarmac. The engines handle very badly with them. We’re in the middle of January and we’re not going to get much more snow now.”

Speaking about moves to get firemen to help clearing heavy snow, he said: “We are an emergency service. I don’t see heavy snow as an emergency. As a council tax-payer, I am paying the local authority to do that kind of work.”

Warren Pickstone, of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Our communities are facing increasingly poor weather during the winter and the public would expect us to plan to ensure firefighters and fire engines can respond to incidents in any conditions.

“We have long moved on from being here just for emergencies, and the added benefit of this allows us to be able to assist the public during what can sometimes be extremely challenging circumstances for vulnerable members of society.”

But Paul Fogerty, secretary of the Greater Manchester branch of the Fire Brigades’ Union, said: “I don’t think the weather over the last ten years has warranted spending money on winter tyres.

“We have challenged management about whether (clearing snow) is really a suitable role for the fire service.

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